REACH

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Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of CHemicals

After a long preparation phase, the new European chemicals regulation "REACH" (Council Regulation [EC] No 1907/2006) from the European Parliament was adopted in December 2006 and 1 June 2007 brought into force.

What is REACH?

REACH is the new EU chemicals legislation on the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemicals. REACH applies to chemical substances as such or in preparations or to substances that are released under normal use. REACH replaces a number of EU legislation on environmental protection and safety albeit it leaves largely untouched many sector-specific rules.

REACH and BTC Linke & SILCO-TEC GmbH

Our manufacturing products (i.e., preparations for the purposes of this regulation) as well as our commercial products consist of a large number of chemicals (substances) and substance mixtures that we acquire from suppliers. In turn, these obtain substances or preparations from other suppliers. We are, therefore, part of the supply chain between you, our customers, and the suppliers. The obligation to register the substances under the REACH regulation lies with the manufacturer or importer into the EU of such substances. Therefore, we are in touch with our suppliers to ensure the availability of our raw materials and our continued operation.

We are firmly committed to the full compliance with REACH requirements. This shall be accomplished in close cooperation with our customers and suppliers.

REACH compliance declaration

SVHC

SVHC stands for "substance of very high concern". SVHC include substances with the following properties:

• carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR) of category 1 or 2 according to Directive 67/548/EEC
• persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) according to the criteria of Annex XIII of the REACH Regulation and / or
• Individual decisions for specific substances that have been identified on the basis of scientific knowledge, which may cause similar effects on humans and the environment as the above mentioned categories of substances.
• The competent REACH authorities of the EU member countries agree at regular intervals, which of the possible SVHCs should be included in the list of ECHA candidates. This inclusion may subject such substances to approval.

Thus, each extension of the SVHC candidate list increases the responsibility of our company to acquire knowledge of potential ingredients with hazardous effects on human health or the environment.

SVHC declaration

REACH information

• The EU website
  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/reach/index_de.htm
  Here you will find the text of the law and numerous links to additional information.

• The same applies to:
  http://www.reach-net.com
  The item "Knowledge base" provides questions and answers for various REACH-related topics.

• On the homepage of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
  http://ec.europa.eu/echa,
  you will find everything concerning the registration and operation of the Authority.

Needless to say, we shall gladly answer any further questions or concerns you may have about REACH.